Shark Flexstyle I still feel like a lost cause when it comes to mastering any kind of hairstyle, even after 27 years on this planet. Who else? How, after all, does one get a blowout worthy of a salon without really having to visit one?
Straighteners, curling irons, hair rollers, and even some heated brushes weren’t doing the trick—at least not for me. But it wasn’t until the FlexStyle hair tool began showing up frequently in my social media feeds that I thought maybe, just maybe, my amateur self could pull off professional-looking hairstyles with just one simple tool. So I decided to give it a try and review the FlexStyle.
What is the Shark FlexStyle?
In essence, it’s a blow dryer, curler, straightener, and heated brush all into one gadget. Depending on your demands, you may switch out the attachable styling equipment (such as a curling wand, hot brush, or blow dryer) on the 5-in-1 hair styler. When compared to standard curling irons, straighteners, and blow dryers, the Shark FlexStyle is far less harsh on hair since it employs strong airflow instead of direct heat.
P.S. If I didn’t say this, I wouldn’t be a good friend or editor. Although the FlexStyle makes the claim to be less harmful than other heat tools, you should be aware that any amount of heat is unhealthy for your hair, therefore be careful when using heat tools and always apply heat protectant before styling!
What does the Shark FlexStyle come with?
The Shark FlexStyle set comes with five attachments and the primary drying unit. It is presently available for $299.95.
- Two 1.25” Auto-Wrap Curlers
- Oval Brush
- Paddle Brush
- Styling Concentrator
If you would prefer, you can design own package (available only on Shark’s website) and select up to three attachments based on the type of hair you have. The FrizzFighter Finishing Tool, Round Brush, Wide-Tooth Comb, Curl-Defining Diffuser, and.95″ Auto-Wrap Curlers are additional accessories for the FlexStyle that you can buy individually.
Honestly, considering the price, this seems too good to be true. Are you saying that I can accomplish all of that with a single gadget and it won’t burn my hair without spending close to $1k? I needed to test it out.
My thoughts on the Shark FlexStyle
I experimented with each attachment on my hair for two weeks, rating them according on how simple they were to use and how they looked overall. Just so you know, I used each attachment according to the directions provided in the FlexStyle Style Guide found on Shark’s website.
Here’s a brief introduction to my hair: It’s thick, coarse, textured, naturally wavy (I’d classify it as 2b), on the longer side (beyond my boobs), and it holds a curl fairly well. Thus have that in mind as you read! In order to learn how the attachments styled different hair types, I also got in touch with other editors who had straight and wavy textures.
Auto-Wrap Curlers
Coanda technology, which essentially employs automatic air flow to wrap hair around the barrel, is what the Shark FlexStyle Auto-Wrap Curlers use. (You won’t burn yourself here from hot plates!) Depending on which side you’re curling, one curler rotates clockwise and the other counterclockwise. My entire head took around thirty minutes to curl, and that was with a learning curve, so I can only think how quickly I’ll be able to do it after I’ve mastered the technique. I took five portions of my hair (I have a lot of hair), and I curled sections that were an inch long. I “set” the curl by holding the curl for around ten seconds, then I unwrapped my hair and switched off the device by holding the Cool Shot button for an additional ten seconds. Extremely bouncy, glossy, and soft curls were the end result.
Beth Gillette, the beauty editor of Cosmo, also utilized the Auto-Wrap Curlers on her fine, straight hair. I have become completely enamored with my Shark FlexStyle, especially the curling attachments, ever since I chopped my hair into a short, little French bob. In comparison to other similar tools I’ve tried, they’re on the smaller side. I get a tighter curl from this, which really extends the life of my look,” she remarked.
Oval Brush
I also divided my hair into five sections and brushed out two-inch-long portions under my hair, beginning at the root, using the oval brush. I set the styler on its highest heat setting so it could truly do its magic because my hair is so thick. When I style my hair with a brush, I like loose waves or curls, so when I took the attachment off, I twisted it off my hair. I was able to get the desired look of voluminous, smooth blowout hair with subtle curls at the ends in a mere 11 minutes. Unlike those I’ve used before, I really enjoy how the brush isn’t overly huge and is easy to move. However, as someone whose hair is naturally thick (for which I am incredibly grateful),
Daisy Maldonado, an assistant shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, also used the Oval Brush on her thin and wavy hair. “As someone who recently got into the Taylor Swift/Sabrina Carpenter trend, I can attest to the tremendous volume and wave-making capabilities of this attachment. I adore the blowout that this brush provides since it mimics a salon-quality look without requiring a lot of effort,” the woman remarked.
Paddle Brush
To be honest, I was rather impressed with the Paddle Brush’s ability to create such straight hair without using a flat iron. This attachment made my wet, wavy hair straight and glossy in eight minutes after I divided it into five sections and brushed them out in two-inch lengths. I took care to start the brush as close to the root as possible for each part and to ensure that the brush was perfectly gripping every hair strand. Although it may not give your hair the same neat appearance as a straightener, it’s still a decent product that causes little to no heat damage!
Daisy also brushed her thin, wavy hair with a paddle brush. “My go-to attachment for damp hair right out of the shower is this one. I like to use this to straighten my hair after towel drying it, leaving it incredibly smooth and silky. The ideal attachment for simple, fuss-free styling,” she exclaimed.
Styling Concentrator
I should start by admitting that I’m not very good at styling my hair, much less doing it while holding a brush in one hand and a styler in the other. You can therefore presume that I had difficulty utilizing the Styling Concentrator attachment, which the company recommends using with a separate round brush. Using my non-dominant hand to hold the device up and manipulate it with the brush was challenging. Like the Oval Brush, I used a round brush to apply gentle curls to the ends of my hair while using it, and I always kept the concentrator on the round brush. After about fifteen minutes, I was done styling my hair and left.
Daisy’s thin and wavy hair was also styled with the Styling Concentrator. “This works well for removing any last-minute static or spots that only require minor assistance. Although it’s a nuisance to redo those particular strands, I don’t use it very frequently, but it’s a nice tool to have on hand if you need to separate your hair while it dries,” she added.
Is the Shark FlexStyle as good as the Dyson Airwrap?
In a nutshell, the answer is definitely yes. I experimented with using the Dyson Airwrap curler on one side of my hair and the FlexStyle curlers on the other to find out. For different reasons, I adored each of them personally. With only a simple twist, the Shark Style can be converted into a hair dryer without the need for an additional attachment. In addition, it gives me incredibly bouncy curls that last up to eight hours, leaves my hair incredibly shiny and static-free (with no hair product added before or after, FYI!), and is rather inexpensive in comparison to the Dyson Airwrap.
In my experience, the Dyson Airwrap is lighter and has more readily accessible buttons. In addition, it is generally quieter, has a larger barrel than the Shark FlexStyle, and has a faster cooling CoolShot function. It can also grasp and retain more hair.
In general, I received two different kinds of curls from them: the FlexStyle curls were more body and tighter, and the Dyson Airwrap curls were looser and gave me a look akin to a Hollywood bombshell wave.
You’ll be pleased with the Shark Style if you can’t decide which product to buy—especially if cost is a key consideration. It costs $300 instead of the $600 Dyson Airwrap, but it has just as many attachments and turns into a hair dryer automatically, so there’s less mess. Like the Dyson, it makes use of the cutting-edge Coanda technology. Therefore, if you’re missing out on that, don’t worry! While spending $300 on a hair dryer and styler is no small thing, it will genuinely replace the majority, if not all, of your current options. I consider it an investment that will last me for many years and spare me the time and expense of having to go out and
The final verdict
I heartily endorse this product. You can achieve both silky-smooth straight hair and bouncy curls and waves with just one tool. I’m particularly enamored with the fact that it leaves my hair really soft, shining, and silky in addition to simultaneously drying and styling it (with very little heat damage, incidentally). However, I’ve only observed outcomes like this following a visit to a salon!
Can you use the Shark FlexStyle on dry hair?
The Shark FlexStyle was designed to simultaneously dry and style your hair in one step, therefore the brand advises using it on damp hair. While using the FlexStyle on dry hair is possible, use caution as using it on damp hair might not yield the same results. If you do want to use it on dry hair, I suggest using it at the lowest speed possible to avoid blasting the heavy airflow into your dry hair, which can cause static or excessive volume. Another piece of advice for using the Shark Flex Style on dry hair is to softly mist each part of hair with a little spray bottle of water before.
